Division I Women

Brentlinger and Longwood Extinguish the Flames

from press release

FARMVILLE, Va. – Senior Jamie
Brentlinger/Gambrills, Maryland posted a game-high five goals and
two assists for seven total points to propel the Longwood
University women's lacrosse team to a 19-12 victory against
in-state and Big South Conference foe Liberty University (8-9, 4-3
BSC) on Senior Day at the Athletics Complex. There was a special
pre-game ceremony to recognize Brentlinger and fellow seniors Kate
Culhane/Annandale, Maryland, Stephanie Schenkel/Brentwood,
Tennessee and Mollie Zimmerman/Fairpoint, New York. The Lancers
(10-7, 5-2 BSC) held a slim, 7-5 edge at halftime before outscoring
the Flames, 12-7, in the second half of the squad's season finale.
Junior Lauren Prasnicki/Lexington recorded one goal and seven
assists for a team- and game-high eight points, as well. Longwood
will take part in the 2013 Big South Conference Women's Lacrosse
Championship beginning on April 26 in Davidson, North Carolina.

In addition to Brentlinger and Prasnicki, junior Mary
Barondess/Centreville and freshman Katie McHugh/Burke tallied four
goals apiece in the victory. McHugh also added an assist for five
total points. Freshman Shiloh McKenzie/Lothian, Md. scored a pair
of goals on the day, while sophomores Liz Trainer/Ellicott City,
Md. and Morgan Clark/Gainesville logged one goal and one assist
each, as well. Freshman Sarah Butler/South Oakleigh, Victoria,
Australia rounded out the goal scorers for Longwood with one of her
own. Sophomore goalkeeper Christian Acker/Moorestown, New Jersey
played all 60 minutes in net for the Lancers, picking up a
career-high 14 saves in the decision.

Liberty scored the first three goals of the outing to take an
early 3-0 advantage. The Lancers got on the board when Brentlinger
fed an accurate pass to Barondess, who faked out a defender before
sending a hard shot past the Flames' goalkeeper to make it 3-1 with
24:53 remaining in the first half. Liberty retaliated to regain a
three-goal advantage, but Brentlinger answered with her first two
goals of the game, pulling Longwood within one at 4-3 with just
over 20 minutes to go in the first. The Flames were able to score
once more in the first half, but Longwood controlled the momentum
for the final 11 minutes of the period, scoring four-straight goals
to take a 7-5 lead. Prasnicki found McHugh open for the shot on
goal to spark the run before McKenzie followed with back-to-back
goals and Barondess converted on a free position shot to send the
Lancers into the break with a two-goal margin.

The Flames' offense was quick to attack in the second half,
scoring the first two goals of the period to knot the game at 7-7
with 26:39 remaining in the game. Longwood would not let the tie
stand for long, though, as the home squad pulled away for good with
six goals in a row beginning with a Prasnicki-Brentlinger
connection. McHugh scored twice during the stretch, while
Prasnicki, Clark and Trainer each added one apiece to give the
Lancers a 13-7 lead at 18:07. Liberty broke the silence with a goal
at 17:52, but Longwood quickly answered thanks to another score by
McHugh to make it 14-8. The Flames found the back of the net once
more before the Lancers posted five goals in a row. Barondess, who
started and finished the run, knocked the ball loose from the
goalie's stick after her initial shot was stopped to regain
possession and score Longwood's final goal of the game to give her
team a 19-9 advantage with 3:36 remaining. Liberty notched the
final three goals of the outing, but it was not enough to overcome
the deficit, as Longwood captured the 19-12 decision.

Saturday's
contest marked just the third meeting ever between Longwood and
Liberty in the sport of women's lacrosse. The Lancers hold a 4-0
edge in the all-time series.